Bypass Reduction: What We've Done
The City of Kingston completed a Pollution Control Planning Study (PCP) in 1992 to examine the environmental and infrastructure impacts of the combined sewer system. The 1992 plan recommended that the combined sewer overflows to Lake Ontario and the Great Cataraqui River be reduced to address beach contamination and closures (frequent at the time). The following measures were recommended:
- Build large storage tanks to control combined sewer overflows during high flows,
- Upgrade the existing sewer pumping stations, and
- Upgrade and maintain the trunk sewers.
In 2001, an update to the Pollution Control Plan was completed to document work completed and to identify additional works to be done as well as reflect the changes in the policies at the Ministry of the Environment (MOE). The update supported the recommendations of the original plan and today, all major components of the Pollution Control Plan have either been completed or are nearing completion.
For example, the CSO storage facilities have all been completed — most recently the Emma Martin Park CSO Tank and the Collingwood CSO Tank. These tanks collect and store the excess flow during high flows and slowly discharge the wastewater back into the system at a controlled rate.
Utilities Kingston has completed a Critical Evaluation of Kingston's Combined Sewers. This study was initiated to evaluate various strategies regarding keeping the combined sewers or separating the sewer system. The recommendations from this report will provide a policy for improving the central and downtown infrastructure in the years to come.
Utilities Kingston continues to replace or rehabilitate aging sewers on an annual basis. Also, residents of Kingston help by replacing or repairing private sanitary sewer laterals on their properties.
Utilities Kingston has initiated CSO monitoring, debris monitoring and tracking programs. These programs will allow Utilities Kingston to clearly identify what is actually happening in the sewer system so that the appropriate resources can be allocated to combat the problem. Residents of the City of Kingston will benefit from a holistic view of the sewer system, rather than on a problem by problem basis.
Utilities Kingston initiated an Extraneous Flow Reduction Program in 2003 to help identify and eliminate extraneous flow sources. In order to track the success of the program, one area was selected to concentrate the program's efforts. The area serviced by the Palace Road Sewage Lift Station was chosen due to its size and ease of demonstrating the results. The Extraneous Flow Reduction Program includes upgrades to infrastructure (Sewage Lift Station, sanitary sewer pipe rehabilitation), incentive programs such as the Rain Barrel Program and bylaw enforcement. To date, Utilities Kingston has completed upgrades to the Sewage Lift Station, inspected the sanitary sewer mains using closed circuit television (CCTV), prioritized sewer main replacement in the area and identified several programs to complete with the residents in the area to reduce extraneous flow.
The table below contains the list of capital projects and their associated costs to complete that Utilities Kingston has initiated and completed.
|
| 5 inline storage facilities | Completed 1992 | $500,000 |
| Clarence St. CSO | Completed 1998 | $200,000 |
| O'Kill CSO | Completed 1999 | $2,200,000 |
| Collingwood CSO | Completed 2005 | $3,900,000 |
| Emma Martin Park CSO | Completed 2006 | $7,900,000 |
|
| O'Kill Pumping Station | Completed 1997 | $1,300,000 |
| Portsmouth Pumping Station | Completed 2001 | $1,200,000 |
| River St. Pumping Station | Completed 2006 | $8,000,000 |
| North End Pumping Station | Completed 2007 | $6,000,000 |
|
| Cataraqui River Crossing | Completed 2004 | $8,400,000 |
| Harbourfront Trunk Sewer Twinning | Completed 2005 | $5,300,000 |
| Sewer Replacement Program | Yearly | $2,000,000 per year since 1992 |
| North End Trunk Sewer Remediation | Completed 2006 | $1,500,000 |
| Habour Front Trunk Sewer Remediation | Started 2006 | $1,500,000 |
|
| Extraneous Flow Reduction Program | Ongoing | $550,000 |
| Ravensview Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrades | Started 2006 | $115,000,000 |
As part of the City of Kingston's ongoing management of the combined sewer system and the overflows that may occur from time to time, Utilities Kingston has recently refocused attention to other smaller potential overflow locations within the system. Utilities Kingston has identified certain structures within the sanitary and combined systems that under certain conditions might experience overflows of small volumes. These facilities are found within various manholes in the systems that have the potential to overflow when flows within specific pipes exceed the design parameters.
In order to better understand the overflows arising from smaller sections of the infrastructure Utilities Kingston has installed monitoring equipment in various manholes. All information related to overflows (date, cause, etc.) can be found on the bypass log page. Please follow the link provided.